HOUSTON – A growing body of research is challenging the idea that heart attacks are mostly an older person’s problem.
Cardiologist Dr. Majid Basit with Memorial Hermann Medical Group says he’s seeing more major heart attacks in people as young as 35, and a new national study backs that up.
“A recent study showed that even young people ages 35 to 55 have had an increase in the number of major heart attacks, dying from those major heart attacks all of a sudden. And they had no history of any heart problems,” Dr. Basit said.
According to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, deaths after a first severe heart attack increased among adults younger than 55 who were hospitalized between 2011 and 2022.
Dr. Basit says that’s consistent with what worries him most: patients arriving too late.
“The biggest frustration for me is when patients arrive at the emergency room, but too late,” he said. “There’s not much that I can do.”
The new study also found that younger women are more likely than men to die in the hospital after a first heart attack.
Dr. Basit says it’s especially concerning because many younger patients don’t see themselves at risk and may ignore or downplay symptoms.
The research also highlighted the role of nontraditional risk factors in younger adults:
- Low income
- Kidney disease
- Non-tobacco drug use
These were more strongly linked to in-hospital death from heart attacks than some traditional risk factors like high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Women had more of these nontraditional risk factors than men.
Researchers say risk assessments that include both traditional and nontraditional factors and that specifically account for women’s risks could help save more lives.
Dr. Basit points to everyday habits and chronic conditions that are now showing up earlier in life:
- More obesity
- More smoking and vaping
- Poorly controlled high blood pressure and cholesterol
- Unhealthy diet and lack of exercise
- Sleep apnea and poor sleep
- Chronic stress and inflammation
He notes that inflammation driven by stress, smoking, lack of sleep and poor diet can accelerate heart disease and trigger heart attacks, even when the disease seems “mild” or previously undiagnosed.
One reason young adults may be at higher risk: many are skipping annual checkups.
“Unfortunately, they have replaced their primary care doctor with some other doctors: Dr. Google, Dr. Chat GPT,” Dr. Basit said. “These online resources can give false information and mislead patients. Please make that effort to at least go see your primary care doctor once a year.”
Without those visits, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and sleep apnea can go unchecked for years, until the first sign is a major heart attack.
Dr. Basit says the best protection is being proactive, long before symptoms start:
- Know your numbers
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
- Blood sugar
- Weight/BMI and waist size
- See a primary care doctor once a year to track trends and adjust treatment
- Exercise regularly — about 45 minutes a day for most people
- Improve sleep and manage stress to reduce inflammation
- Quit smoking and vaping and address conditions like sleep apnea
The new research and Dr. Basit’s experience both point to the same message: heart attacks are not just an older person’s problem, especially for women and younger adults. Recognizing your risk and acting early could be lifesaving.